Arne Slot has acknowledged the high stakes of failing to secure a Champions League spot next season for a club of Liverpool's stature, hinting it would have a hugely detrimental impact on the club's transfer activity this summer. The reigning Premier League champions suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City, leaving them trailing four points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. Had City's disallowed third goal been counted, Liverpool would have slipped to seventh place, level on goal difference with Brentford.
Despite their current standing in the Champions League last 16, a strong league finish is crucial as a safety net should they fail to clinch the European title. In a candid admission in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday morning, Slot stressed the significance of securing a Champions League berth for the upcoming season. He said: "Yes, if we don't have Champions League football, it is definitely not an acceptable season.
"The season I arrived here, we could only sign Federico Chiesa and that summer and that was after a Europa League season. The way this club is run, it does have a huge impact."
With both Manchester United and Chelsea playing tonight, Liverpool's gap to the top four could widen before they face Sunderland. Slot conceded that his team must strive for near-perfection for the remainder of the season to ensure their place in next year's Champions League.
"[We have to be] close to perfection because of the points we are behind," the Dutchman stated.
"We also know it is different when you are four points behind a team that are 18th or 19th in the league because they usually don't pick up as many points as the number three, four or five picks up, so to close the gap to numbers three, four and five, that means you have to win a lot and that is not what we have done this season a lot, so that is why that has to be better and that is why we have to be close to perfection.
"Margins are indeed very small because seven minutes before the end we were five points behind City and five minutes later we were 11 points behind."
Liverpool face a Sunderland team that remain undefeated at home this season. The Black Cats, who suffered a loss away at Arsenal in their last match, are hot on the Reds' heels, trailing the reigning champions by just three points.
Slot has expressed admiration for how well Regis Le Bris and his squad have adjusted to the Premier League. "I think there are more teams having a very good season," he observed. "Arsenal are definitely one of them, Villa are impressive, Brentford are very impressive.
"But Sunderland are also impressive, it's definitely an accomplishment. It's very good that if you are promoted and come into the Premier League that you do so well. That is a big compliment to their players and to their manager.
"They have a good record at home, they have had a very good season, Sunderland. They have already played against City and Arsenal at home, so that tells you how good of a season they are having and how strong and good they are at home."